TV help required

[kevcorks]

Hi all

I am looking at TV's for my camper and am wondering what experience people have with the difference between the 12v caravan models and standard LED ones.

For example a basic 16" unbranded Amazon LED + DVD model costs around £140 upwards. This runs at about 20Watts at 12V.

A 22" TV + DVD LED TV from Tesco can be bought for around £95, this is A+ energy rated and has a power consumption of 20W also. As long as the supply is correct from the battery via a DC voltage regulator, this "should" be OK, shouldnt it?

Just wondered if anyone has had any experience with this,

Thanks

KevCorks

[CovKid]

1.6 amps either way

[kevcorks]

Thats what I worked out CovKid,

I = P/V = 20W / 12V = 1.66A

Just wondered if there was anything I was missing.

I'll go for that then

Thanks

KevCorks

[CovKid]

I gave up on ideas of TV. Don't watch one at home and would rather reserve power for propex. A low consumption tablet, loaded with films is a more efficient option.

[nordberg]

We have a 19" LG TV which is 12volt but comes with an AC/DC adapter also. It cost £95 from Richer Sounds about 4 months ago and has a USB port on the side for movies.

[kevcorks]

The TV will be for the kids on wet nights CovKid, I toyed with the idea of a tablet, but with a TV I have the choice of using an aerial, DVD or USB loaded with content, I can also connect one of my android devices to mirror when I have a signal, so for me the TV is the better option. And it's half the price!

I'll have a look at richer sounds thanks.

[CovKid]

Have enough kids films to last a fortnight on the tablet. What wet evenings?

The HUDL is cheap and they can do their own thing with headphones. I just can't watch Shrek again...

The TV would warm the interior I'll grant you that and its ok on hookup if you can stash it away.

[BOXY]

One thing to remember about having a TV in the camper is how good reception is going to be. I've got a small LCD TV, 12v signal booster and a decent aerial on a stick outside and a lot of the time I can't more than a few channels. Sometimes none at all.

[nordberg]

Tablets are great but a one trick pony unless you can use it on Wi-Fi for surfing. On the subject off surfing, I bought a kindle fire HDX on black Sunday and git the 4G version thinking I could use it when I was away. Cancelled the 3 months trial when I realised that the UK is pretty "pooh" everywhere for all forms of mobile connection when out and about! Think I used about 200mb of my 5gig of data!

[CovKid]

Can be hit and miss but unless I'm in a valley, I do ok on 3. All you can eat data. If theres no signal I get out and enjoy life

Stopped watching TV ten years ago or more. Don't miss it one bit. Occasionally watch Quest on mobile but nowt else. Can't see the point in camping then watching TV. Just me, but its a life choice I guess.

[nordberg]

Can be hit and miss but unless I'm in a valley, I do ok on 3. All you can eat data. If theres no signal I get out and enjoy life

Stopped watching TV ten years ago or more. Don't miss it one bit. Occasionally watch Quest on mobile but nowt else. Can't see the point in camping then watching TV. Just me, but its a life choice I guess.

We did camping for two years. The only thing I missed was staying in touch with what was happening in the world. I felt quite relieved when we got a tv and Ariel as we could spend the days exploring out location, knowing that we could settle down in the evening and kick back with some mind numbing trash on tv. We have accepted this as a part of life now. When we get a decent signal that it's

[ghost123uk]

One thing to remember about having a TV in the camper is how good reception is going to be. I've got a small LCD TV, 12v signal booster and a decent aerial on a stick outside and a lot of the time I can't more than a few channels. Sometimes none at all.

This signal thing is certainly an issue, largely because camping for fun is by nature an even that takes place out in the sticks, where the (digital tv) signal is often poor or non existent. I bought a half decent amplified magnetic roof aerial in the hope it would be better, but if the signal is weak or non existent it still doesn't work.



Mind you, whenever, I set up camp, I get the laptop out, connect it to the USB freeveiw dongle, do a tuning scan, check the signal strength, adjust aerial alignment, check bluetooth audio from laptop to head unit, then never actually watch it Too busy doing other things Mind you, if I found myself in a pouring rain situation, I would.

[CovKid]

The only campers I've met with TVs tend to be soap slaves and they never come out of their vans. Might as well stay at home.

[ghost123uk]

"Soap slaves"
Without wishing offend anyone, and

[nordberg]

The only campers I've met with TVs tend to be soap slaves and they never come out of their vans. Might as well stay at home.

That sounds like your tarring everybody that decides to have a TV in their vans with the same brush! I tend not to do that. You clearly have made the decision by what you have said previously that your not a fan of television full stop, but I think it's a little unfair of you to assume that if you have one it's only purpose is to watch soaps. Personally, half an hour of the BBC news keeps me upto date with what's going on in the world, and the option of watching Formula One (Live or more increasingly on highlights) keeps me happy. I'm not going to make out that we have never spent a morning or afternoon in the van watching a film from a USB pen drive when the weather has been poor, but have never gone away with the intention of locking ourselves in for a day. I would imagine that there are people who's ideal weekend away in the van would be to do just that, and to be honest I would say that's fine if it makes them happy.

There is a little saying. "Don't judge others or you might get judged yourself"